TzuJanLi

Greetings.. As told by someone present at the event: Cheng Man Ching, a notable Taiji master, and some of his students were walking down a street in NYC.. one of the students said, "i'm hungry".. CMC truned abruptly and entered a McDonald's.. there, he ordered a whopper, fries and a soda.. the puzzled students asked, "Master, why do you eat this kind of food/".. CMC replied, "Jan said he was hungry, and i noticed that Tao had put food where it was needed", when hungry, eat.. Be well..

Greetings.. We exist as the physical experience of an eternal existence.. the question is not one of 'Immortality', that's a given, rather the quality of the present experience and its effect on Immortality... Be well..

Greetings.. Listen!! Listen to the energy.. our energies extend infinitely beyond the physical manifestation.. the 'resonance' is unmistakable, if the mind doesn't make a mockery of the experience.. without resonance the field may 'plowed' many times but the ground will not yield its potential.. Be well..

Greetings.. Hi CowTao: It is as you say.. i was speaking with a Buddhist friend who was trying to explain how "Life is suffering".. i said: if you can convince me that Life is suffering, you will have also convinced me of the great beauty of suffering.. naturally, she was quite annoyed with my perspective, so.. i asked: do you prefer the annoyance over the suffering? .. she became almost furious, so.. i said: pure joy is only a choice away, and it has nothing to do with 'my' perspective.. we didn't speak for a while, we stopped a nice pub and grill, ordered a couple of Sam Adams, and.. she smacked the crap out of me, saying: "Never call yourself a Buddhist, but.. yeah, this is a good beer".. that exchange resonated well with me.. Be well..

Greetings.. Thank you Marblehead.. i deeply appreciate your ability to sense (sensibility??) my message through my idiosyncracies... Be well..

Greetings.. LOL.. Oh yes, i truely 'know' it.. but, the challenge is Living it.. today i might focus the cross-hairs on an extremist with a vest-bomb, tomorrow i might be wearing the vest.. Life's funny like that... Be well..

Greetings.. "Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional"... and Life is what one chosses it to be.. One of my favorite quotes (paraphrased, i'm sure): "Don't walk in the footsteps of others, seek what they sought.. in your own 'way'" J' Krishnamurthy said: "Truth is a pathless land", and i find that to be consistent with my own experiences.. a 'path' chosen, is a limitation embraced.. Be well..

Greetings.. There is no 'Life after this one'.. this one is eternal, though it is temporarily manifested as a tangible reality.. realizing this condition, the experiencer understands how even the temporary physical reality affects the evolution of the eternal process.. There is a tendency among some spiritual seekers to contemplate Life as a purely random event, and i sense that perspective to be limited.. i sense a 'purpose', a reason for Life and the Cosmos.. the prime question for we/us/Life is "What AM I", and.. as 'parts of a Whole', the Whole and the parts share that prime curiosity.. Life is not 'created or manipulated', it is allowed its freedom to reveal the answer.. the Source set the Cosmos in motion (big bang, maybe), and observes itself evolving according to its 'nature'.. from this freely evolving process both the Whole and itself manifested as 'parts' experience its true nature, unrestricted and uncontrolled.. that is the ultimate 'wisdom', the sincerity to experience your 'true' nature.. so, to suspend my rambling, the 'purpose' is the experience itself.. if the 'parts' find reason to control or manipulate aspects of the experience, then it reveals aspects of the 'nature' of the parts AND the Whole.. and, that aspect is perfectly natural, considering that ALL possibilities become probabilities in the playground of infinity and eternity.. When i iam asked of my 'philosophy for Living', i am compelled to respond: Live with unconditional sincerity and a fierce gusto of curiosity.. Be well..

Greetings.. Occasionally, i ask myself: Why do people that profess themselves as Taoists, spend so much time and effort with the concerns of other belief systems?.. it's an unusual relationship.. My brother is a Christian Minister, one of his qualities that i admire greatly, is.. he prefers little talk of scripture or faith, he says "i teach with the Life i live".. most of his sermons are stories that demonstrate the application of Christian principles.. as i contemplate the Taoist's application of principles, i find no cause to scrutinize the beliefs of others.. those beliefs are no less Tao than Tao itself.. i do scrutinize the application of peoples' beliefs, i sense that 'deeds are the signature of the soul' (no, i have no specific understanding of a 'soul' as an existent condition, the phrase conveys the message).. Be well..

Taiji is inert, like an automobile.. 'You' are its driver.. where do you 'intend' to go? Taiji is an exceptional vehicle! Be well..

Greetings.. As i read some of these postings i see the word 'Truth' used in various ways, so.. i am curious as to how you guys and gals determine what is 'True'.. i'll start: Truth, is the experience itself.. not the words, labels, descriptions, or interpretations we assign to the experience.. Considering i am new to this forum, i apologize if this deceased equine manifestation has already been beaten beyond recognition.. Be well..

Greetings.. Logic is a tool used to implement the wisdoms of intuition into the process of Living well.. Be well..

Greetings.. I have little regard for 'isms' or rituals.. i find myself attracted to Taoist Philosophy only because it so closely approximates my own direct experiences.. Taoism, as a codified ritual or religiion, has no interest for me, but.. the core philosophy of Tao seems instinctively consistent with the 'Way' things are.. Differences between Taoism, Buddhism, Confucism, etc.. are of much less interest than their commonalities.. it seems that there are some core principles that are consistent between the major belief systems, i am interested in this commonality.. Be well..

Greetings.. 20 years after my kung-fu mentor 'made' me take-up Taiji, it continues to reveal itself as a valid vehicle for understanding more and more of the mysteries of 'Life'.. Taiji, in my experiences, has only gotten better and better.. i deeply respect my mentor's wisdom for 'making' me experience this art.. Be well..

Greetings.. Thank you, Marblehead.. Sincerity is a worthy virtue.. Be well..

Greetings.. I am informed that i do see 'human energy fields', though it's something that has occured for as long as i can recollect.. it's not consistent, some days it's there, others not so much.. What happens is when my eyes are not focused directly at someone there is this 'shimmer' around their outline, extending outward an inch or two.. the shimmer is very much like the heat shimmer you might see over a hot road, it is transparent and without color.. when the shimmers are in unison and flowing, the person generally seems to in a calm mood.. when the shimmers are chaotic, it seems the person is, too.. A more troublesome condition, for me, is something that manifests as 'sound' in my mind.. a sort of hum or buzz that seems either melodic or chaotic, with similar appearances in the people where i sense this 'sound'.. my issue is the difficulty in controlling this phenomenon, sometimes i can mask it, sometimes not.. worst is in large crowds, concerts, bars, places where people's energies are often chaotic by choice.. the multiplicity of input is overwhelming.. my mentor says i am experiencing the 'energetic signature' of people.. in any case, it has taken some great effort to mitigate the interference this 'gift' imposes.. Be well..

Greetings.. I am familiar with several branches of the Taoist Tai Chi Society, and with several of Ms. Wongs books.. if the Taoist Tai Chi Society is any indication of Ms. Wong's awareness, it is unimpressive and greatly dilutes the foundation of Taiji.. Ms. Wong's books are unnecessarily difficult to comprehend, particularly in the misuse of metaphors.. aside from that, the 'Society's' marketing skills are to be appreciated,and.. the practitioners seem genuinely dedicated.. Be well..

Greetings.. Guidance and structure are inconsistent with 'meditation'.. more likely, the reference should be QiGong, 'energy work'.. Be well..

Greetings.. While i could add to posts, it would only be redundant to Marblehead's insightful understandings.. Be well..

Greetings.. "We are traveling to where we have always been, from ignorance to enlightenment.. awareness is the vehicle" "Embracing your dark side is wisdom, living it is enlightenment" Be well..

Greetings.. "Simplicity and humility are the tools of Masters" Anon Be well..

Greetings.. I can recommend Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming's books and videos as excellent sources for in-depth research and descriptive instruction.. i began training with Dr. Yang in 1997, i find his QiGong and ChinNa to be his strongest knowledge.. another excellent source is David Chin, but he transmits directly.. An excellent read is Rick Barrett's "Through the Western Gate", and.. his seminars are worth the time, effort and $$.. Be well..

Greetings.. There is much wisdom and practicallity in most martial arts.. from this, i conclude the difference is mainly in the practitioner.. internal/external ~ Yin/Yang.. each is always present in the other.. 'keyboard kung-fu' is generally pointless, and almost always embarassing to observe.. Be well..

Greetings.. There are obvious 'natural roles' that are present in any perspective.. beyond that, i sense no limitations or separations by gender.. each person, regardless of gender, has a vast unlimited field of possibilities to explore.. Be well..

Greetings.. I like the Red Pine translation, but i teach from the Jane English/Gia Fu Feng translation, it is more applicable for those less accustomed to the Chinese use of metaphor.. Be well..